The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 21, 2012
Filed:
Nov. 10, 2010
Nan Zhang, Knoxville, TN (US);
Ronald Grazioso, Knoxville, TN (US);
Debora Henseler, Erlangen, DE;
Matthias J. Schmand, Lenoir City, TN (US);
Nan Zhang, Knoxville, TN (US);
Ronald Grazioso, Knoxville, TN (US);
Debora Henseler, Erlangen, DE;
Matthias J. Schmand, Lenoir City, TN (US);
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Munich, DE;
Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Malvern, PA (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a photodetector including improved photosensors configured of an array of small (sub-millimeter) high-density avalanche photodiode cells utilized to readout a single scintillator. Each photosensor comprises a plurality of avalanche photodiodes cells arranged in an (n×n) array of avalanche photodiode cells (where, n>1) that are coupled to a single scintillation crystal. The overall (n×n) array area as the photosensor is the same as the area of a face of the scintillator and each avalanche photodiode cell has a surface area that is not greater than one square millimeter. The photosensor is also configured to facilitate reading the output of each avalanche photodiode cell in the array. By reading out each small avalanche photodiode cell independently, the noise and capacitance are minimized and thereby provide a more accurate determination of energy and timing.